


The Locket

by missdewey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Drama, Explicit Language, M/M, Pre-Slash, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-20
Updated: 2007-01-20
Packaged: 2018-10-01 02:40:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10178891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdewey/pseuds/missdewey
Summary: In his search for a Horcrux, Harry finds something he wasn't expecting.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

**The Locket**

 

It’s here, somewhere. I know it is; Kreacher all but said so, in the midst of his insane ranting. I don’t think he meant to tell us what he’d done with the locket, but it slipped out as part of the list of dark objects he bragged about rescuing from us when we cleared out Grimmauld Place. 

But where to look? 

Malfoy Manor is huge. I guess I’d always known it would be, if I bothered to give it any thought at all, but my imagination couldn’t have reproduced something of this scale. It’s more fortress than house, really. From the outside, it seems even bigger than Hogwarts. Shame the Marauder’s Map won’t work here. 

After what feels like an hour of searching, I'm lucky enough to have avoided running into anyone else. Of course, I haven't found what I'm looking for, either -- Hermione always says not to assume too much, but somehow I just can't imagine Lucius Malfoy hiding a Horcrux in the tea parlour, or for that matter, in one of the dozen bathrooms I've found so far. 

The next door I open seems much more promising. It's a study, expensively furnished (although that's more or less a given in this place) with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and an ornate fireplace. A large desk in the middle of the room is piled high with books, several opened or stuffed with bookmarks; someone has been using the room recently, but it appears to be empty at the moment. I slip off my dad's cloak and stuff it into my pack, then pull my wand from my sleeve. The charm Lupin taught me to detect dark magic is simple, but it requires time -- in a room this large, it'll probably cost me a good ten minutes. 

While the charm searches, I move over to the desk to inspect the books on it. Mostly they consist of Potions texts -- there are recipes for restorative drafts, pain-killing potions, sleeping draughts, and lots of other things related to healing. Part of me is curious why someone here is taking such an interest in medicinal potions, but my thoughts are interrupted by the charm. 

The fireplace is glowing in the dim light, the magic of my charm swirling about angrily in the presence of something darker. I end the incantation and walk over towards the mantle. It's carved out of dark green marble, set with silver inlay -- Slytherin colours, what else is new -- with a large silver crest in the centre. The edges of the crest are raised slightly, just enough to allow a firm grip. 

I have to hold my wand between my teeth to pull on the crest, since I'd rather not be caught off guard with it in my pack. The panel slides out slowly, and thankfully it isn't loud -- no one would be able to hear it outside this room. When it finally comes loose, I have to restrain myself from yelling out loud -- there's the locket, just as I remember it from Grimmauld Place, half-hidden behind a glowing web of red magic. 

I'm still trying to figure out what charm to use to disarm the wards when the door opens behind me. 

_"You!"_

Malfoy, the bastard, has the gall to roll his eyes at me. "Shh," he says, closing the door quietly. He casts a silencing spell on the door, sealing the room so that no one outside it can hear us. "Damnit, Potter, I always knew you were a bit dim but I didn't think you were suicidal. What the hell are you doing here?" 

His words surprise me so much that I let my wand drop a bit before I realize what I've done. "I could ask you the same thing, Malfoy. Aren't you supposed to be on the run, after what you did?" 

Looking thoroughly exasperated, Malfoy leans against the door. "It's called hiding in plain sight, you moron," he answers. "But I believe I asked you first." 

I really don't have time for an exchange of insults, but somehow I can't bring myself to hex him. He doesn't look much different than he did that night on the tower -- he's still pale, still too thin, and the dark circles under his eyes appear to be worse if anything. He's a Death Eater, I know that for certain now, but after what happened with Dumbledore, I don't think he's capable of killing me if I turn my back on him. The problem is, would he turn me over to someone who could? 

Making my choice, I step away from the fireplace, letting him see the opened panel. His eyes widen almost comically, and he moves closer to me. 

"How did you know it was here?" he asks. 

"Kreacher. Care to tell me how to break that ward?" 

He stares at me for a moment, then shakes his head slightly. "You're crazy," he says, his voice almost a whisper. "You don't know what you're asking." 

"Then maybe you should tell me," I say, turning back to the mantle. It's a crazy thing to do -- maybe I really _am_ suicidal -- but I don't know any other way to find out if he'll help me. I brace myself, listening for the rush of magic that comes the instant before a hex. 

It never comes. Instead, Malfoy moves to stand beside me, giving me a slightly horrified look, and I'm sure he realizes what I've just done. I suppress my smile -- looks like I was right, after all. 

"The ward is keyed to the master of the house, just like all the others," Malfoy says quietly. "That's how I knew you were here. I couldn't get away from the others until just a few minutes ago, however. You won't be able to get past it." 

So he's known I was here the whole time, but chose not to betray me. I file that bit of information away for another time and turn back to the matter at hand. "But you can get past it, right? Should be nothing at all for you to just reach in there and take the locket." 

"No, but I'm not sure what will happen if-" He cuts off mid-sentence at the sound of voices in the hall. "Shit! Potter, hide!" 

By the time can get my invisibility cloak out of my pack, Malfoy has the crest back in place. He shoves me towards a dark corner and I throw the cloak over us both, pulling him tight against me out of necessity. The door opens again, and two familiar figures walk into the room. 

"I know I heard a noise up here," Peter Pettigrew says, glancing around the room. "Like someone was yelling about something...." 

In the darkness, I see Malfoy roll his eyes at me again. Okay, maybe my outcry was a bit ill-timed. Still, it's not like I was trying to get caught. 

"Come on," Amycus says, tugging at Pettigrew's sleeve. "We'll fetch Greyback. If there's anyone here, he'll sniff them out." 

Malfoy stiffens at the mention of Greyback's name, and his breath hitches slightly. I reach up carefully and press my hand over his mouth, silencing him. 

"Did you hear that?" Pettigrew asks, eyes narrowing. He strides farther into the room, searching. 

"Hear what?" Amycus asks, obviously exasperated. "Honestly, Peter, I think you're imagining things. Let's go." 

Pettigrew doesn't move. He's standing not two yards from us, staring at the window just to our left. I don't dare breathe; Malfoy is staring at me, his brow furrowed, and for an insane second I could swear I feel his lips move against my hand, almost like a.... 

"Yeah, all right," Pettigrew says, turning towards the door. The two Death Eaters exit, leaving me and Malfoy huddled under the cloak in an otherwise empty room. 

A moment passes before Malfoy steps away. "We have to go, now," he says. His horrified expression has returned. "If they bring Greyback within a dozen rooms from here, he'll smell us." 

"All right, just a minute, I need that locket-" 

_"Will you listen, Potter?_ There's no time!" Malfoy pulls the cloak closed around me and latches onto my wrist, half-dragging me to the door. "Just follow me, all right? There's an exit not far from here that is usually unguarded. They won't question me for going into the gardens, as long as I don't leave the property." 

He sets off before I can protest, forcing me along with an almost-painful grip on my wrist. I want to tell him it's useless, that I'll just have to come back to retrieve the Horcrux, but I can hear voices in the distance and I know any noise I make will be overheard. 

It seems as though we've been walking forever, though I'm sure it's only been five minutes or so, when we come upon a set of French doors leading out to the gardens. Malfoy opens them quietly and ushers me out, leading me deep into the shadows of the rose garden. 

"Here," he says, finally coming to a stop. "There's a path into the forest just through those bushes, so you won't be seen even without that cloak. I'm the only one who can feel the wards, so don't worry about that." 

"I'm going back, Malfoy," I say, removing the cloak so he can see me. "I can't leave here without that locket." 

"Potter, you really don't-" 

"Look, thanks for the help and all, but this is serious. I'm going back," I say, stepping away from him. I'm just about to pull the cloak back on when I feel his hand on my shoulder.

“Forget something?” Malfoy asks, and I turn. In his hand is the locket. He takes my hand in his and places it in my palm, curling my fingers shut around the cool metal.

“Why?” I ask. 

He smiles at me. Not a sneer, not a smirk, but a true smile. It's the first time he's ever directed such an expression at me. 

“Don't you get it yet, Potter?” he asks, his tone soft and teasing. “No, you wouldn’t, I suppose.” 

And then he turns and walks away, leaving me to stare after him, the locket clenched in one fist.


End file.
